Rearranging The Furniture - Literally

Since rearranging the furniture is our blog name I thought maybe I should post about my recent furniture adventures. I am not sure what it is about me that loves to move things around, but I love the feeling of a changed room. For some reason moving the furniture and decor makes a room feel "new" again and especially clean. In the last few weeks we have done A LOT of furniture rearranging. While my fam was here we totally rearranged the living room and dining room (AKA catch all room). The moving took some re-wiring and other more extensive work than my normal rearranging, so I told the Hubs I would try and keep it this way for longer than usual ;)  Here are some pics of our current arrangements! What do you think?

The first few pics are of Owen and Eliana's rooms. Our older house has small rooms and tough to take full room pics, but you get the idea. I like to try and make "spaces" within a room (am still figuring this out) so that is what I was trying to accomplish with their latest room rearrangement!

Eliana's "reading area"

Have a lot of "projects" in the works for Owen's room as he turns 1

and won't have such a "baby" room anymore.

Using this little rocking chair for his "reading area" instead of the big one that was in here

makes his room feel a lot bigger.

I recently moved all our dishes to this shelve instead of in our cabinet.

I really like the look of it and the accesiblity for others to help set the table :)

But even more recent are the addition of new dishes!!!

They are amazing and make me feel like a grown up (thanks mom) !

This living room arrangement took rewiring the cable (sorry hubs) but I really love it.

I really don't think the hubs cares now that he has his "man chair" (see the new addition?)

My parents thought it really wasn't fair that "our" christmas/birthday present (the laptop that I'm on right now) became mostly MINE, so they decided the Hubs needed a present that was "mostly" HIS! And it is and he loves it :)

The following pics are our "dining room". I really love this room but have never been able to define the spaces in a way that didn't make it just feel like the "catch all" room. But the way we have it now really works! It feels like 3 seperate areas in one room  - reading/visiting area, dining room, and office nook!

I still want to add an area rug here and a different lamp.

But I'm in love with the sewing table and machine that sits between the chairs from Todd's grandma, its more than a sewing machine but a really great peice of furniture!

This is our dining room table that is also my favorite peice of furniture we have purchased as a couple!

Do you see the black and wood theme throughout? I don't know why but I really like it!

And lastly our little office "nook" Also took some rewiring and internet adjustments but it is tucked away in a discreet yet functional manner!

It is taking me a while to figure out what my "style" is and I'm still figuring it out. But as we go along in life I am enjoying collecting things and figuring it out. I try to remind myself that I am still young and my house won't be "just the way I want it" right off the bat. It will take years and I need to be ok with that! But as for now I really am enjoying where we are in the "making a house a home" process. Besides I never want to forget that the point of the "home" is to share it with others in sharing the Love of Christ. And not to be storing my treasures up here on earth!!!

God Bless - Dawn



Family Visits

In the last two weeks we have had lots of great visits with family. Our first visitors were my Dad (Mike), Step mom (Debbie), brother (Nate), and sister (Annha).  They were able to come see us for 3 1/2 days and it was GREAT! My Dad recently had knee replacement surgery and had a follow up visit in KC so they were able to arrange some visiting around their appointment. It is a long 10 hour trip from my parent's house and so their visits are always much appreciated!  Eliana was excited to see "Grammy and Papa" and  really excited to play with Nate and Annha! They spent the entire time "cooking", reading books, coloring, playing outside, and having lots of fun! Crazy enough it snowed while they were here and were able to play in the snow too (Missouri weather is a little crazy)! I took my stepmom to Schaefer House which I love, and made a visit to Arris Pizza which was a lot of fun too! While they were here I teamed up with Debbie and we did some furniture rearranging (my favorite) and had a lot of fun moving things around. The way my furniture is right now is probably the way I like it the best since we have moved here. I will post about my furniture rearranging adventures later this week! Of coarse it was as sad to see them go as it was happy to see them come. We are counting the days until we visit them for my brother's graduation in May! I can't believe he is graduating.....

Owen and Papa playing

Annha and Eliana in the snow

Owen playing with his favorite ball with Annha and Nate

Our next visitors were Grandma Prather (Todd's mom) and Calvin (Our nephew). They made a quick trip to visit us and for Todd and Calvin to have some "man time."  The boys went with Aaron (practically a member of our fam) to the Missouri High School Basketball Championship Games.  The boys watched the games and had a good time.  We also gained wisdom from Kathy (Todd's mom) on our landscaping plans - that you saw were recently finished! It was a fun short trip and great to see them both. Calvin is growing so fast and we can't wait to see him and the rest of the family soon when we celebrate Nanny's (Todd's grandma) 90th birthday!
                                               

Kathy and Eliana playing



Our last visitors of the last two weeks were my brother and sister (Alicia and Alex). They were on spring break and for some reason decided they would spend it with us!  It was a lot of fun to have them here (it always is) and a great help. They played with their niece and nephew while I worked on spring cleaning projects (a blog-post to come about this soon).  We also managed to fit in some fun why they were here - "Awesome Aaron" (as Alex calls him) spent some "man time" with Alex going out to eat, getting hair cuts, and most fun of all playing in the mud. One day the "man time" was suppose to be spent kicking soccer balls but turned into a mudfest (must see pictures below).  After they returned I sent Alicia and Eliana to play in the mud but Eliana refused to get dirty! Instead she decided it would be more fun to clean Aaron's muddy car when they returned. She is totally my daughter - rather be cleaning than getting messy!  We had good family time with them and they are such good kids. My mom (nanna) came this weekend to pick them up and of coarse we did some shopping and then had some movie and popcorn time. The kids were ready to go home and not have so many "daily chores" but overall we had a great visit!

Alex and "Awesome Aaron" from Round 1

After Round 2 in the mud

They had a lot of fun getting all muddy

Nanna and Eliana working on tummy aches from popcorn and m&m's

We LOVE LOVE LOVE having family visit and can't wait to have more family time again soon!!!!!!

Love to all our family - thank you for supporting us and loving us!

Landscaping and Taxes

Yesterday was a day I did NOT enjoy! I was determined to finish our landscaping project and our taxes. I had posted two weeks that I would finish our taxes, and well, I failed....  BUT with the deadline approaching and the weather getting bad this weekend I decided that I MUST finish these two projects yesterday. Today I am happy to report that both of these painful projects are finished! I feel a little pep in my step today just having them done and am even rewarding myself with blogging during nap time instead of working on another project!
I mentioned in my other Taxes blog post that our taxes have been a source of faith with our West Africa missions. This year is no different, like I mentioned before. After completing our taxes it is evident that Todd will for sure go to Africa and there is a good chance that I will get to join him this year on the mission trip!  I am giddy and nervous that the possibility for me to go this year is actually a real possibility. But of coarse it is, when God puts a desire on our heart he is faithful to take us down the path to show us how to fulfill it.  It still isn't certain that I will be going on the trip, but now we know financially it is a great possibility. We will still be praying through this decision because there are many factors (we could do "wiser" financial things with the tax money, we would have to both be away from our kids for over a week, we still do not have all the funds available, etc..) and would ask that you would be praying for us in this decision! But all in all, praise God the Taxes are done! And thank you turbo tax for making it possible to do it from home!



(This isn't me.. but its pretty much how I feel today!!!)

Of coarse I also must mention our landscaping project. This is a project I will NEVER repeat NEVER take on by myself again. The four days of work it took to accomplish this project doesn't even seem justified in the results. The idea was to take out all the old mulch, tarp, and some dirt to level it out. Then replace some plants and clean it up with new tarp and mulch. When we started the project on Monday we had beautiful weather and sunshine, then with the forecast changing we knew we had to get it done last night before it froze and our new plants died. So we rounded up some help last night and finished the project. We still need to add a few bags of mulch, but for the most part this project is DONE!  I have added a few pictures but try not laugh.. After my dramatic story you will probably think.. That's it???? but trust me, it was a back breaking event! I will post pictures of the 22 bags of dirt (yes bags because we have no truck to haul it off with ) that are still next to our house waiting to get hauled off....

Front of house - planted a knock out rose bush - will get 3' x 3'

Other side in front, another knock out rose bush

and our Prather Rock

Funny story about this rock, I bought this the first Christmas when Todd and I were dating and I didn't really think it through that one day it would be sitting in front of our house... LOL.. oh and GO HAWKS!

And this is part of the other side

trimmed bushes and a new boxwood bush in the corner

boxwood should get 4' x 4'

Most excited about these fresh herbs in my window

Basil, Cilantro (my fave), and some Lemon thing.. :)

So like I said not that exciting, but it really cleans up the outside of our house and when the bushes bloom and get full they should look pretty good. I'll post more pics when its sunny out and they have bloomed a little!!!

I feel like I have lots more to blog about so stay tuned for blogs about -

Family Visits

Spring Cleaning

New Recipes

And I'm most excited about my written testimony that I am working on and will post once its been prayed over and properly proof read :)

Until then - Love and Prayers



Eliana's Comic Relief

This is our daughter Eliana...

And like I said in my first post she supplies us with plenty of moments to fill a blog on her own. So I wanted to share some of her recent adventures for all of you and for my own documentation ;)

Eliana is the entertainer of our family, she turns everything into a song, and runs through the house on her tippy toes like a rock star ballerina. If you were to spend 24hrs in our home, the hours she doesn't spend sleeping (which she has quite a few of those) you will find her singing (about anything and everything - tying her shoes, to bunnies on the loose), tormenting  playing with her brother, cooking up a fancy dish in her "kitchen", racing around the outside of the house, helping me with domestic chores (begs to do the dishes), and much more..

Here are my favorites as of lately:

I over hear Eliana talking to her brother on the floor. She is trying to get him to clap with her and the next thing I hear is...

"Owen, clap with me in Spanish!"

I'm not sure how someone claps in Spanish but she was making it happen!

We are cracking up because Eliana always refers to her brother as..

MR. Owen

never brother, or O, or Owen, Or bubby

always MR. Owen

Imagine the picture above of this sweet little girl..

Now add about 5 lbs of attitude

3 lbs of sass

double hands on the waist

and you will have the bossy Eliana who tries to convince me daily that..

"Mom today I'm going to be the mom, and I'm going to be in charge and you are going to have to do whatever I say or you will be in BIG trouble and get a spanken'. OK mom, are you listening??"

On Tuesday's we attend a MOPS bible study for women with preschoolers and is mostly stay at home mom's. We have been going only about 2 months and when we go I tell Eliana "We are going to the church to make new friends." A couple weeks ago I tell Eliana this and she tells me...

"Mom I already have lots of friends I don't want to go..." 

then she continues to tell me..

"Mom I have a fever I just can't go"

Where does she come up with this stuff?? LOL

It cracks me up how everything is a year or 30 o'clock
"have a good year at work dad"
"My bed time is 30 o'clock"
"I had the best year at school mom"
"We are late its almost 30 o'clock"

Laughing thinking of this... "mom can I have the "Kemote" I need to ffwd the movie"

Yesterday she was playing pretend and I was reminded that she is having a skewed up-bringing..
"Mom I am pretending to be the mom and Owen is my baby.  I am getting my purse and my stuff because we are going somewhere"
 (me) "where are you going?"
(eliana) "Well first I am going to band practice, then to church, and then the grocery store"
(eliana) "I'll be back soon, I'll miss you, have a good year."

Despite our entertainer's sassy and funny moments..

my favorite moments are:

The kisses on the cheek,

the hugs around the neck,

the running out the door when dad comes home,

the sweet prayers at the dinner table,

and when she looks up at Todd and I and says..

"your the best mom (dad) EVER!"

While she keeps us laughing, she keeps our hearts warm and smiling too...

I feel like I could give hundreds more but I'll save them for another post!

Learning Lessons

I have learned in my short Christian Life (of 6 almost 7 years now...) that Life will be full of lessons.  Once we learn one lesson then its just on to the next, often tougher and harder than the last to learn. Since I am an open book I want to share with you some of the "lessons" I feel that I am learning now. I am sharing in hopes to gain your wisdom and also in hopes you can relate in some way. I also should say that in learning lessons I have found that prayer to show me the lesson and show me how to learn it quickly and permanently, it seems to help the process, (or I think it does.. LOL)
One thing I am learning right now is how to "tap in" to the Holy Spirit. I find myself pondering if I really utilize the Holy Spirit like I could?  I'm not necessarily talking about "healing" "prophecy" etc... (although I don't count those out) I am talking about utilizing the spirit for "joy" "patience" "love" etc...  I am convinced that just like we only use a small portion of our brains, we also only utilize a portion of the power of the Holy Spirit.  So I am praying and asking God to show me how I can be overwhelmed with joy, love, patience, kindness, etc.. that can only come from the power of the Holy Spirit....
Going along with the conversation topic of the Holy Spirit, I was recently told in a bible study that if you are not "peace filled" - as in I am "aggravated, frustrated, annoyed, not peaceful, enter your words here ____________" than you are not living by the spirit but by the flesh. This was very convicting to me, if you ask my husband I often say "I am so frustrated about ________________" (enter many things in the blank)  but in other words "I am so frustrated and just going to pout in my flesh rather than look to the spirit to help me out with this...."  So this is a lesson I am trying to really learn because I do want to be a joyful person, and my husband would probably love for me to not say "I am frustrated about ________" all the time.. LOL
And while I feel God is teaching me things constantly the last major (and somewhat painful) lesson he is teaching me right now is this.... People don't need ME, they need GOD. This is a pride swallowing lesson, because I want to be "needed." Who doesn't right?  But ultimately I am NOT savior, I am NOT all knowing, I am NOT... well anything without God...  My husband and I work with youth and really enjoy that at our Church. We have invested our lives in youth. We literally have poured out all we have for them in hope that they will see God's love flowing through us into them... BUT, they are still youth, growing teenagers, and just like I do every day they make mistakes, they flub up... And one day I was praying and asking God, "Are we doing any good? Are we even helping you ? Are we really helping these people you've put in our lives, because I am not completely sure we're doing a good job here?" And that is when God told me.... "they don't need YOU, they need ME."  I was like "ok God duh.." but than he quietly said to me... "No Dawn... they don't need you, they just need me...."  So this lesson is a little painful for the girl who wants to be needed... but as all lessons are, its a step in the growth chart....
I am thankful God cares enough to spend some time "teaching" me, and even though it is painful I look forward to the other lessons he has for me... I wonder if you know what God is trying to teach you right now? Patience, Kindness, Love????  He wants to help us evolve into the best people we can be, just like we want to help our children grow to be amazing adults as well... Really such a great parallel as a parent to understand his love.. HIS unending, overwhelming, overflowing LOVE... His.. PERFECT LOVE!

Baby Sign Language

Hello All -

I don't know about you but I am so excited to see some warmer temperatures and the beautiful sunshine. I love getting the kids out of the house and taking them for a walk. Often a walk with a stroller, a three year old, and a small dog can be a little crazy, but it is so much better then being inside.

Today I'm writing about baby sign language. I am not sure how many use baby sign language or know about it, but its a great program that our family loves and just have to share it with you all. I was introduced to the program through my cousin who was teaching it to her daughter. Not only could you tell she was smart, but it was so adorable. Then I noticed as she began talking and reading that she was at a much more advanced level. So I thought it would be worth a try with our kids.

With our daughter Eliana I was ridiculous with it. I made her start watching the videos at 6 months twice a day. It was really too early to make her watch them and should have waited for 9 months. She started to really using the sign language around 10 months and consistently did 10-15 signs by one year old. The signing was great because rather than grunting and pointing to try and get what she wanted she would sign "eat" or "drink". It also was great to introduce manners to her at such a young age with teaching her the sign for "please" and "thank you".  Now that Owen is 10 months old we have been training him in the sign language. And while we are not as rigorous with him it is just as helpful.

It amazes me that he knows what "more" is and that signing "more" can get him some more of what he wants. I am amazed at how they can pick up on things at such a young age. They are smart little creatures! LOL
So if you have never checked out Baby Signing Time, I would strongly encourage it. I have seen first hand how helpful it can be and how it can develop their vocabulary and learning abilities at such a young age, plus its a lot of fun!!!!

Enjoy your weekend and God Bless - The Prather's

Taxes

There are many things in adult life that I have really not enjoyed - mortgage payments, utility cost, expense of groceries, laundry, dirty bathrooms, etc... But one thing that I really don't enjoy are doing our TAXES!  I put them off every year and this year is no different. I am determined to accomplish them this week despite the fact that I really don't want to do them. Last night though I got to thinking about our taxes and how the last two years has been a funny spiritual journey with them. Let me explain.....
Since I am a realtor (or was a realtor) we have to do itemized taxes (loathe this)! And because of this it is often a question mark of if we will be receiving money or paying money in. Two years ago was my first year to sit down with Turbo Tax and go through the itemized tax process. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and it was miserable!  When it was all said and done we were blessed with a return! It happened to be that our return was just enough money to pay for my husband (Todd's) mission trip to West Africa. We literally received the money and handed it over to the church for his trip. So that turned out to be quite a blessing! Then last year we knew that we were probably going to be paying money in. I had a decent year for doing real estate part time and didn't have any significant write offs.  I was really dreading doing our taxes and knowing once we filed them that the reality of how we were going to pay for my husband's second mission trip to West Africa would sink in. I literally put them off until the last week of march. That Monday I told Todd that I would finish our taxes by the end of the week. On that Thursday our church mission council had a meeting and at that meeting offered to pay for the bulk of my husband's trip as the group leader. After receiving this news it gave me the push to finish our taxes and we came out dead even. After the cost of Turbo Tax, we didn't receive anything of have to pay anything in. Crazy HUH!?!
So here we are year three!  Itemized taxes waiting to be done. We have had some significant write off opportunities this year: had a baby, lots of hospital bills, didn't make much in real estate, etc... But yet I am dragging my feet. Because this year if possible, my husband and I would both like to go to do mission work in West Africa (the thought both excites me and frightens me). But that is a HUGE junk of change! If our Tax return covers a good portion then that means we could both go. If it doesn't that means its likely that this year again it would be just Todd making the trip. 
It is funny to me that as I was pondering my hatred for taxes, that it isn't just the work of the taxes that holds me back, but the meaning behind the outcome. It really has been a funny little joke with God about our taxes and will be interesting to see what he will have in store with us this year! 
So with that being said.. I am vowing that by the end of this week I WILL COMPLETE OUR TAXES!! Who knows what the outcome will be, but at least we will know :)

And who knows, maybe we'll both get to see some of these beautiful faces this summer???

Power of a Blankie!

Our kids I must say have been overall pretty easy babies.  Once I got over my anxiety of letting Eliana cry as a baby she was sleeping through the night at 2 months, and is my little sleeper who sleeps 12 hours at night and takes a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. Being even more laid back with Owen he didn't sleep through the night until about 4 months but he was also a breast fed baby. He sleeps 12 hours at night and takes 2  1-1/2 hour naps during the day. Neither one of them are thumb suckers or have been a fan of the binkie, and neither one of them particularly act like they "need" their blankie or any other security item.  This week however I realized there is some power in the blankie!!!! 

Eliana is old enough that she can request her blankie at bedtime. Her blankie is actually something that was handed down to us from some friends that gave us girl clothes. Its just a simple snugly pink and brown blankie with stripes on one side and monkeys on the other side. She always sleeps with it at nap time and bed time but doesn't freak out if it needs washed. I know if I needed to take it away from her she would still be ok, yet still prefers her blankie!

Owen is only 10 months old and an extremely "chill" baby. Nothing really bothers him or gets him to riled up. He is like his dad and just goes with the flow and is a happy guy!  Knowing all this I was surprised to learn that he is actually attached to his blankie and I had no idea!  We got Owen this really cozy blankie for Christmas that is blue and brown and all kinds of cozy!  When he goes to bed for nap time or bed time he pulls it up to his face and snuggles it up, smiles, and goes to bed no problem.  Saying all that he never has really seemed that attached. This week that blankie needed washed and I wasn't very quick to get the laundry done and back in rotation. Without thinking twice I gave Owen a different blanket while his was being washed. For those few days he didn't sleep very good, getting up every few hours at night, and not going to bed very well at nap time. I thought he was just teething and coming down with a little cold but once the blankie was washed I found out otherwise. The first time he got his blankie back his little eyes lit up. He pulled his blankie up to his face snuggled it up and went fast to sleep, not waking up until the next morning.  The next day after getting his blankie back he took extra long naps and seemed like a completely different kid!  I had no idea he was attached!!! I was blindsided by the power of the blankie!

But isn't it true that we probably all have something that we like to snuggle up with and be cozy with? I have an extra cozy throw blanket that I might dare to call my "couch blankie". LOL!

Eliana has her blankie on Chloe, and snuggled with "my blankie"

Owen sleeping soundly with his cozy blankie

Who knew the power of a blankie????

Love Language

Have you ever read this book about the 5 Love Languages?

If you haven't the five love languages they say all people fall under are:

Words of Affirmation

Physical Touch

Acts of Service

 Quality Time

Gifts

Of coarse in our house Todd and I aren't the same love language, Todd's love language is physical touch and mine is Gifts. I really really really wish my love language wasn't gifts because I think that it really puts those that love me in a predicament, especially since most people that I love don't have the love language of gifts either. Todd is also very much a saver so to buy me a gift really puts him out of his comfort zone.  But when he does go out of his comfort zone and go out of his way to get me a gift it means a lot to me. It doesn't even have to be anything very special or expensive, a drink from sonic, a little chocolate on a bad day, a fun scratch ticket. These are a few of my cheap favorites. But this week I got a really fun present that I am excited to try out.

+

Its a fun cake batter dispenser. I didn't even say I wanted this but with all my recent baking it is going to be so fun! This is a gift that I really love!  So in thinking about my dreaded love language of "gifts" I decided to blog and see what some of your favorite gifts have been or if you know what your love language is?  (Yes I am trying to entice some comments!! )

Some of my favorite gifts in the past have been:

*A ring my mom gave me for my 16th birthday with my birthstone and my first real diamonds

* An amazing photography camera my parents gave me for a birthday once

* Some golf Oakley's that my dad knew I wanted really really bad (because I just knew they would make me play better) even though they were expensive he surprised me with them

* Our bedding set that Todd gave me for Christmas last year that he picked out all by himself and is perfect

* A nativity set that a friend gave me that is so special

*A cozy blankie my grandma gave me that I snuggle with all the time

*A laptop that was so needed in our household for Christmas this year

*I must admit when my mom buys the kids adorable clothes and such it feels like a fun gift for me too!

*And many many more.. you know my love language is gifts and even though I hate that it is.. I really do love them... LOL

So again what are some of your favorite gifts you have received???

Fan Club

For those of you that know me well know that I unfortunetely am NOT a morning person.  I would LOVE to be that mom/wife who wakes up in the morning goes for a run has a shower and quiet time with God, then makes breakfast for my family and is happy and cheery by the time they wake up... but as of now I am NOT.  As of now I am the mom who wakes up after Todd takes a shower and is "zombie-like" until about an hour after I've been awake. About 2 or 3 times a week I make attempts to be that "dream" mom and get up early and run or exercise, etc.. And this morning was one of those attempts.  I actually really enjoy these morning attempts at being an over-acheiving mom because it usually results in some nice quiet time with God and quiet time to myself before I start my day, but today was not the case! 

After I had woke up and took a shower around 6:15 this morning I was looking forward to some quiet time with God and possibly making my husband some breakfast.  I enjoyed my shower and took my time and as I was attempting to get dressed and Todd was working on getting ready for work himself ... the "beckoning" began. I looked at my watch and couldn't believe that they were awake at 6:45! Our kids always sleep until about 7:30, but not this morning... Eliana hollared from her room "mom can I get up, mooooommmmmmmm, mom can I get up??"  and Owen who often taunts me with Da Da babbles, but from his room came "mamamamamamama" He only does this when he's in his room and wanting out. While I still don't think he knows that I am "mama" I think he does know that saying mama gets him out of bed!

My first reaction was annoyed (I must be honest)  I looked at Todd and said YOUR kids are crazy!!! LOL..  But then Todd said something to me that has changed my outlook all day. He said "Babe you have a fan club!"  He was joking but it really got me thinking! So often we think "uhhhhh what do you need" (or at least sometimes I do) rather than thinking "my kids really do love me."  So my whole day has been filled with graceful little moments rather than minor annoyances! Because I know this "fan club" stage might not last long, and I want to enjoy it! Besides how could you not enjoy these adorable faces!

So for this week and beyond I will do my best to enjoy my "fan club" and the love that God has blessed me with through my AMAZING family!

Prayers and Blessings - Dawn